Electric-fuse box.



PATENTED AUG". 11, 1903.

J. J. W001); ELECTRIC FUSE BOX. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

H0 MODEL,

WITNESSES:

PATENTED AUG. 11, 1903.

lie/736,049.

J. J. WOOD.

ELECTRIC FUSE BOX. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 24, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

no MODIEL'.

INVENTOR:

By AZ/m ney I mfi 'the connecting circuit-wires.

Patented August 11, 1903.

' PAT NT OFFICE.

JAMES J. WOOD, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA.

ELECTRIC-FUSE BOX.

SF ECTFUJATION forming pait of Letters Patent No. 736,049, dated August 11, 1903.

Application filed February 24., 1903. Serial No. 144.563. (Ho model.)

To (all whom, it nuty concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES J. WOOD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort /Vayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric-Fuse Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention provides a fusible cut-out or fuse-box of the socket-and-plug type,where in the socket is formed in a block of non-inflammable insulating material, usually porce-- lain, and the fuse is carried in U shape around the sides and end of. a plug of similar material, which is adapted to be thrust into such socket, so as to divide the latter into two chambers on opposite sides of the plug,united by a passage past the end thereof.

My invention provides certain novel features, which will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Referring to the drawings, which show my improved fuse-box in its preferred form,Figure 1 is a front elevation thereof, showing Fig. 2 is a side elevation also showing one of the circuitwires. Fig. 3 is a plan of the socket-block. Fig. 4 is an under side View or inverted plan of the socket-block with the circuit connections removed. Fig. 5 is a vertical mid-section of the socket-block, showing the circuit connections and with the plug in place. Fig. 6 is a transverse mid-section thereof. Fig. 7 is an under side view, the plug being in transverse section on the line 7 7 in Fig. 9. Fig. 8 is aihorizontal section of the block and plug on the line 8 8 in Figs. 5 and 6. Fig. 9 is a front elevation of the plug, partly in section. Fig. 9 is afragmentary side elevation thereof. Fig. 10 is a transverse section of the plug on the line 10 10 in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a side view of a contact-plate.

Referring to the drawings, let A designate the socket-block, and B the plug. Both are preferably made of porcelain. The block A has any suitable provisions for enabling it to be attached or bolted in placesuch,for example, as perforated bosses at a, through which bolts may be passed. The block has a deep socket 1) extending from its open bottom upward nearly to its top, which is closed. Beneath this socket the block is extended laterally and enlarged to form a bottom recess a about it and inclosed by a petticoat or pendent flange d. The plug B is adapted to be thrust up into the socket b, and has at its lower end a handle a, by which to grasp it, and above this a protecting-flange f. The fuse-wire O is carried on the plug, being embedded in a groove 9, which extends up one side, around the top, and down the other side, and terminates in angular notches h 71.,formed in the right and left sides of the plug, the one being displaced toward the front and the other toward the rear thereof, so as to bring them out of line with one another. In these angular notches are placed terminal plates 6 t, to which the opposite ends of the fuse are fastened by screws j j or other binding-posts. The terminal plates 1' are fastened in place by screws 70, which pass obliquely and transversely through the plug. The lower portions of these plates project outward from p the plug to opposite sides thereof in a substantially horizontal plane and serve as contact wings or segments for making connection with contact-plates Z Z, fastened against the bottom of the block A in the recess 0. These plates Z Z carry the respective circuitterminal binding-posts m 'm, which are inclosed in the recess 0 to right and left of the plug.

The socket b and plug 13 are both preferably made slightly tapering and are both of rounded contour in transverse section and are both of greater dimension in one direction than in the direction substantially at right angles thereto, being preferably oblong or substan tially elliptical in cross-section. Their rela tive shape is such that the wider portion of the plug substantiallyfits the narrower portion of the socket, so that \vhenthe plug is thrust up into the socket and turned therein to bring its widest portion into substantial coincidence with the narrowest portion of the socket the plug serves as a sort of partition to divide the socket into two chambers to the right and left of the plug, these chambers being designated 19 and p in Figs. 5 and 8. Preferably the socket is substantially elliptical, With the major axis of the ellipse coinciding with the plane 5 5 in Fig. 7, and the major axis of the elliptical contour of the plug substantially coincides with the minor axis of the elliptical contour of the socket, so that when the plug is turned substantially cross= wise in the socket, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the surfaces of the plug and socket wedge together into close fit. To insure that this fit shall be close, it is preferable that the sur faces be such that the plug may not ordinarily be turned quite transversely or with its major axis in exact coincidence with the minor axis of the socket, but remain somewhat ob lique thereto, as indicated by the line y y in Fig. 8, where this line indicates the major axis of the elliptical contour of the plug, and the line '1; 2) denotes the minor axis of the elliptical contour of the socket. The upper end of the plug may substantially fill the socket, either leaving a slight space, as shown in Fig. 6, or making actual contact, if preferred. The chamberspp in the socket constitute blow-chambers for the fuse and are open at their lower ends, being preferably widened at q q", Fig. 7, to facilitate the escape of gases and avoid burning the contactplates Z i. The wide flange f protects the hand of the operator in case the fuse shouldblow while inserting the plug. To make this protection as complete as possible, the flange is made very wide and is located beneath the recess 0 instead of within it and is caused to project partly beneath the petticoat, as shown in Fig. 6.

The plug B is utilized not merely to divide the socket b, but also to divide the recess 0 into two chambers to the right and left of the plug, so as to inclose each of the bindingposts in a separate chamber and prevent any possibility of arcing across from one post to the opposite one. To this end the petticoat d and the plug are conformed to each other, so as to make contact on opposite sides, preferably by forming the petticoat with inward projections M, Fig. '7, or by forming the plug with outward projections 1", Fig. 7, or by both expedients, as shown, so that when the plug is in its final position the portions 1" r are in contact and serve together to constitute a complete partition, cutting off the recess or chamber on the left from that on the right.

The circuit-wires a: 00 have their ends confined in binding-posts m m and are thence bent sharply downward, as shown in Fig. 5, being confined in chambers or extensions 15 t, which prevent the displacement of these wires, the wires being thence looped upwardly to any suitable support. Instead of providing separate supports, such as insulators, for fastening the wires or passing them through eyes in the upper part of the block I provide aspecial conformation of wire-holder upon the block, consisting of projections u u to right and left, which terminate in widened portions or fiukes u, that serve as retainers or cleats, around which the wires may be looped. Each of the wires :1: w is carried up in front of its projection to and wound around the neck of the latter just within the flukes u for one turn or loop, whereupon it is extended upward or in any desired direction.

This affords a very firm support for the wires integral with the socket-block. This mode of attaching the wires has an important advantage in case the block should be broken or burst open, in which case the insulated wire, on which the insulation will ordinarily have hardened, so as to stiffen it, does not require to be straightened out, as is required when it is to be withdrawn through an eye, which operation would crack off its insulation, but instead it is only necessary to enlarge the loop a little, sufficient to enable it to be slipped over the enlargement or flukes u, whereupon a newsocket-block may be substituted and the wire loops drawn in again to tightly embrace the projecting fiukes, which can be done without injury to the insulation.

An important feature of my new fuse-box is that the socket-block and fuse-plug have gently-rounded surfaces, avoiding any abrupt angles, deep grooves, or projecting ribs or fins. Fuse-boxes having such sharp angles and fins are liable to breakage in consequence of rough handling and because of the sudden variations of temperature due to the blowing of the fuse. My invention wholly avoids these disadvantages and provides a fuse-box which is as free as possible from breakage.

In fuse-boxes having porcelain fuse-carrying plugs difficulty has been experienced in fastening to the plug the terminal plates, to which the ends of the fuse-wire are clamped, by reason of the weakening of the plug, because of the necessity of forming holes and recesses through it for receiving the necessary fastening screws. These fasteningscrews have been passed through it in the same horizontal plane, so that the cross-section of the plug coinciding with these screws is considerably weaker than the portions above and below, with the result that the plug is peculiarly liable to break in this plane. I avoid this difficulty by tilting the fasteningscrews It It at a considerable angle to the horizontal and arranging the two screws so that when viewed from the front, as in Fig. 9, they cross each other. By this means the sockets, which are entered by their heads, are arranged out of coincidence in the horizontal cross-section of the plug, so that the plane of intersection of the screws (see Fig. 10) is but slightly reduced. This construction also has the advantage that the terminal plates 1' t' are formed with their base portions at an acute angle to their radially-projecting contact-wings and are placed in acute-angled notches h h, the bend of the plate being forced tightly into the angle at the notch, so that the latter serves to hold the plate securely in place, and a single fastening-screw consequently gives as secure a fastening for the plate as two screws would afford in the old construction.

The terminal contact-plates ZZhave their free portions struck up obliquely in the manner best shown in the edge view, Fig. 11, so

reacts that the radial wings of the contact-plates it may enter above them as the plug is turned home, thereby wedging them downwardly, and by reason of their elasticity insuring a good metallic contact between the respective plates Z71.

My invention is susceptible of considerable modification in its structural details, as will be apparent.

What I claim is 1. A fuse-block having a socket oblong in cross-section, combined with a rounded fuseplug entering said socket and when in place filling the narrower dimension thereof to divide the socketinto two chambers, both socket and plug being free from interfitting angular grooves or ribs.

2. Afuse-blockhavingaroundedsocketoblong in cross-section, combined with a rounded fuse-plug entering said socket and adapted to partially turn therein, and when in place to fill the narrower dimension thereof, both socket and plug being free from interfitting angular grooves or ribs.

3. A fuse-block having a rounded socket oblong in cross-section, combined with a rounded fuse-plug of oblong cross-section entering said socket and adapted to partially turn therein, and thereby to bring its widest portion into substantial coincidence with the narrowest portion of said socket to divide the socket into two chambers, both socket and plug being free from interfitting angular grooves or ribs.

4. A fuse-block having a socket of substantially elliptical cross-section, combined with a fuse-plug of substantially elliptical crosssection, adapted to enter said socket and turn therein to bring its major axis substantially transverse thereto to divide the socket into two chambers.

5. A fuse-block having a socket and a bottom petticoatinclosing a recess beneath said socket, and terminals in said recess on opposite sides of said socket, combined with a fuseplug entering said socket, said block and plug relatively conformed to divide said recess and separate the opposite terminals.

6'. Afuse-block having a socket and a bottom petticoat inclosing a recess beneath said socket, said petticoat formed with approaching portions on opposite sides, and terminals in said recess on opposite sides of said socket, combined with a fuse plug entering said socket, said plug shaped to fill the space between said approaching portions to divide said recess and separate the opposite terminals.

7. A fuse-block having a socket and a bottom petticoat inclosing a recess beneath said socket, terminals in said recess, and said petticoat formed with outwardly-curved portions forming chamber-st t for retaining the circuit-wires when fastened in said terminals.

8. A fuse-block having a socket and abottom petticoat inclosing a recess beneath said socket, and terminals in said recess on opposite sides of said socket, combined with a fuseplug entering said socket, having a handle projecting beneath, and formed with a protecting flange between said handle and recess, projecting beneath said petticoat.

9. Afuse-blockhavingasocket-opening beneath, and circuit-terminals in its bottom portion, and having at its top integral projections widened to form fiukes for retaining the circuit-wires when looped around said projections.

10. A fuse-carrying plug having terminal plates on opposite sides and fastening-screws therefor passing through it in parallel longitudinal planes, and in oblique transverse planes crossing one another.

11. A fuse-carrying plug having an oblique angular notch, and a terminal plate bent to a corresponding angle, and fitted in said notch with its bend in the angle thereof and its radially-projecting wing seated against the end of the notch, with a screw for fastening said plate in said notch.

12. A fuse-block having a socket, terminal platesZ Z fastened beneath said block with their contact portions formed obliquely, combined with a fuse-plug having terminal contact-plates formed as projecting wings adapted to enter between the bottom of the block and the plates Z Z, and by a rotary movement of the plug to be forced into the tapering space between said plates 1 l and the bottom of the block.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES J. WOOD.

W'itnesses:

W. H. Gnrenrou, T. W. BEHAN. 

